Important phenolic metabolites will be synthesized along pathways that are modelled upon biogenetic processes. Pretetramid, emodin and other polycyclic compounds are the current goals of this project. The experimental approach will involve synthesis of the requisite polycarbonyl compounds by several convergent routes which involve anion-anion reactions of highly nucleophilic polyanions of polycarbonyl compounds. For the cyclization reactions, template effects will be employed to insure that the desired ring closures are obtained.